Compare business credit cards for startups

Many business credit cards offer helpful benefits for startups.

Running a startup is never easy. You’re juggling multiple priorities at any given moment — including, of course, your company’s finances.

A business credit card can be your best friend for covering last minutes expenses. There are lots of choices catering to startups, so compare the annual fees, benefits and rewards to find the best card for your startup.

Our pick for startups

SimplyCash® Plus Business Credit Card from American Express

• Special offer: save on interest with a 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months; after that your APR will be a variable rate, currently 14.49% - 21.49%
• No annual fee
• Reinvest in your business with automatic cash back in the form of a monthly statement credit. Plus take control by choosing the 3% category that best fits your business
• Earn 5% cash back on the first $50,000 spent at wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and U.S. office supply stores.
• Earn 3% cash back on the first $50,000 spent in the category of your choice from a list of eight and 1% cash back on other purchases
• With Expanded Buying Power you can spend beyond your credit limit* to make bigger purchases for your business plus earn cash back on those purchases too
• *The amount you can spend above your credit limit is not unlimited. It adjusts with your use of the card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us, and other factors
• Terms apply

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Name	Product	Rewards	Purchase APR	Annual Fee
SimplyCash® Plus Business Credit Card from American Express		5% back at US office supply stores and on US wireless telephone services on up to $50,000 annually (then 1%). 3% on a chosen category on up to $50,000 annually, then 1% after and on everything else	14.49%, 19.49% or 21.49% variable	$0	Save on interest with a 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months. After that your APR will be 14.49%, 19.49% or 21.49% variable.	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
The Blue Business‎℠ Plus Credit Card from American Express		2x points on everyday business purchases on up to $50,000 annually, then 1x points	15.49%, 18.49% or 21.49% variable	$0	Earn 2x Membership Rewards® points on everyday business purchases on up to $50,000 with no category restrictions.	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card		3x on travel, shipping, Internet, cable, phone and online ads up to $150,000 combined annually; then 1x after and on all other purchases	18.24% to 23.24% variable	$95	80,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months after account opening. That's $1,000 toward travel rewards when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Ink Business Cash℠ Credit Card		5% on office supplies, Internet, cable and phone up to $25,000 combined annually; 2% on gas and dining up to $25,000 combined annually; 1% on all other purchases	15.49% to 21.49% variable	$0	$500 bonus cash back after you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Ink Business Unlimited℠ Credit Card		1.5% cash back on all purchases	15.49% to 21.49% variable	$0	$500 bonus cash back after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months after account opening	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
U.S. Bank Business Platinum		N/A	12.24% to 20.24% variable	$0	Enjoy a market-leading 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 20 billing cycles, reverting to a variable 12.24% to 20.24% APR.	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card		12x points at Hilton hotels, 6x points on select business and travel purchases and 3x points on all other purchases	17.99% to 26.99% variable	$95	Earn 125,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months of card membership.	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Gold Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card from American Express		Earn 2x miles on every purchase made directly with Delta and earn 1x miles on all other purchases	17.99%, 21.99% or 26.99% variable	$0 intro annual fee for the first year ($95 thereafter)	Earn 30,000 bonus miles after you make $1,000 in purchases on your new card within your first 3 months. Plus earn $50 after you make your first Delta purchase in the same timeframe.	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
American Express® Business Gold Card		4x points on two categories on up to $150,000 in combined purchases annually, then 1x points after that and on all other purchases	16.49%, 20.49% or 24.49% variable	$295	Earn 35,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $5,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of card membership.	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
The Business Platinum® Card from American Express		5x points on flights and prepaid hotels through Amex Travel, 1.5x points if you spend $5,000 on a single eligible purchase on up to 1 million additional points per year and 1x points on all other purchases	None (Charge Card)	$595	Earn 50,000 points after spending $10,000 and an extra 25,000 points after spending an additional $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Business Green Rewards Card from American Express		2x points on purchases through Amex Travel and 1x points on all other purchases	None (Charge Card)	$0 intro annual fee for the first year ($95 thereafter)	Earn 5,000 Membership Rewards® points after your first purchase on the card within the first year of card membership.	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
The Plum Card® from American Express		1.5% discount when you pay early, with no cap on what you can earn back	None (Charge Card)	$0 intro annual fee for the first year ($250 thereafter)	Get a 1.5% discount when you pay early, with no cap on what you can earn back.	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card		6x points at Marriott Bonvoy hotels; 4x points at US restaurants, US gas stations, and on US wireless telephone and shipping services; 2x points on all other purchases	17.99% to 26.99% variable	$125	Earn 75,000 bonus points after you use your new card to make $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of card membership.	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Delta Reserve for Business Credit Card		2x miles on direct Delta purchases and 1x miles on all other purchases	17.99%, 21.99% or 26.99% variable	$450	Earn 40,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card in your first 3 months.	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Platinum Delta SkyMiles® Business Credit Card from American Express		2x miles on direct Delta purchases and 1x miles on all other purchases	17.99%, 21.99% or 26.99% variable	$195	Earn 5,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) plus 35,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months. In addition, earn a $100 statement credit after you make a Delta purchase with your new Card within your first 3 months.	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Brex for Startups		7x points on rideshares, 4x points on travel booked through Brex Travel, 3x points at restaurants, 2x points on software subscriptions and 1x points on all other purchases	None (Charge Card)	$0	The first corporate card for startups. No personal liability or security deposit needed, meaning your personal credit score won't be affected.	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Brex for Ecommerce		N/A	None (Charge Card)	$0	60-day interest-free financing for e-commerce businesses.	Apply now View details	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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Best for travel: Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card

Ink Business Preferred℠ Credit Card

• Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,000 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
• Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year
• Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases - with no limit to the amount you can earn
• Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards
• Redeem points for travel, cash back, gift cards and more - your points don't expire as long as your account is open
• No foreign transaction fees
• Employee cards at no additional cost
• $95 annual fee

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• • The perks

    • Signup bonus: 80,000 bonus points.

      To earn bonus points, spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of card membership. When you redeem them through Chase Ultimate Rewards, they’re worth $1,000.

    • Rewards: More on business purchases.

      Earn 3x points on the first $150,000 you spend per year in combined purchases on travel, shipping costs, eligible advertising and Internet, cable and phone services. Once you reach the cap, and on all other purchases, you’ll earn 1x points.

    • Points transfers to frequent-traveler programs.

      Transfer your points at a 1:1 ratio to select airline and hotel programs, such as Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards, Marriott Rewards and World of Hyatt.

  • What to watch out for

    • Annual fee.

      You’ll pay a $95 annual fee, which isn’t waived for the first year.

  Best for intro APR: The Blue Business‎℠ Plus Credit Card from American Express

  

  The Blue Business‎℠ Plus Credit Card from American Express

  • Get rewarded for business as usual. Earn 2x Membership Rewards® points on everyday business purchases such as office supplies or client dinners.
  • 2x applies to the first $50,000 in purchases per year, 1 point per dollar thereafter.
  • Enjoy the flexibility to put more purchases on the card and earn rewards when you buy above your credit limit*.
  • You’ve got the power to use your card beyond its credit limit* with Expanded Buying Power.
  • More buying power for your business means more opportunities to earn points. That’s everyday business with the Blue Business Plus Card.
  • *The amount you can spend above your credit limit is not unlimited. It adjusts with your use of the card, your payment history, credit record, financial resources known to us, and other factors.
  • 0.0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months, then a variable rate, 15.49%, 18.49% or 21.49%, based on your creditworthiness and other factors as determined at the time of account opening.
  • Terms apply

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  If you need to take on interest-free debt for longer than a month, you’ll want a card with a strong intro APR. The Blue Business‎℠ Plus Credit Card from American Express is one of your top options, offering a long zero-interest promotion (see Rates & Fees ) compared to similar business cards.

  • The perks

    • Annual fee: None.

    • Intro APR: 0% on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months following your account opening.

      After that, your APR will be 15.49%, 18.49% or 21.49% variable.

    • Flat rewards.

      Earn 2x points on all eligible purchases, on up to $50,000 each year. After that, earn 1x points on all eligible purchases.

    • Buy above your credit limit.

      Depending on factors like your card use and payment history, you may be able to spend above your credit limit. This can be helpful if you need a bit more leeway to make important purchases here and there.

  • What to watch out for

    • Penalty APR.

      American Express may apply a 29.99% variable penalty APR to all of your balances if you make two or more late payments in a 12 months, fail to make a minimum payment by the due date or make a returned payment.

    • Balance transfer fees apply.

      You’ll receive an intro APR on balance transfers, but each transfer will cost $5 or 3% of the transaction, whichever is greater.

  Best for average credit: Spark® Classic for Business

  

  Spark® Classic for Business

  Get the credit you want for your business and unlimited 1% cash back on every purchase, every day.

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  When you’re bootstrapping your startup, you might not have the best credit, from running up high balances or taking out loans. When other cards might be out of reach, the Spark® Classic for Business may be a viable option.
  

  • The perks

    • Apply with average credit.

      Capital One specifically targets this cards toward business owners with average credit.

    • Annual fee: None.

      A breath of fresh air, especially when your credit might not be where you want it to be.

    • Rewards: 1% cash back on every purchase.

      Earn unlimited rewards with no minimum to redeem. It isn’t a great rewards rate, but it’s a decent deal if you have fair credit and need a business card.

    • No balance transfer fees.

      It’s not easy to get a balance transfer card if you have fair credit. Not only can you transfer debt to the Spark® Classic for Business, you won’t pay balance transfer fees. However, balance transfers come with a 25.24% variable APR on the balance, that you’ll pay immediately after the transfer.

  • What to watch out for

    • High interest rate.

      Your purchase and balance transfer APR will be 25.24% variable. That’s high, considering the average credit card APR is around 16%, though, not unheard of for a fair-credit card.

  Best for limiting debt: American Express® Business Gold Card

  

  American Express® Business Gold Card

  • Earn 35,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $5,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of card membership.*
  • MORE REWARDS: Get 4x Membership Rewards® points on the 2 select categories where your business spent the most each month**
  • **4X points apply to the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these 2 categories each calendar year.*
  • AIRLINE BONUS: Get 25% points back after you use points for all or part of an eligible flight booked with Amex Travel, up to 250,000 points back per calendar year.*
  • EXCLUSIVE OFFERS: Get up to 1 year free on subscriptions to both G Suite Basic for up to 3 users and ZipRecruiter Standard, a combined value up to $3,200.*
  • PAY OVER TIME OPTION: A flexible payment option to help manage cash flow on purchases of $100 or more.*
  • EXPENSE MANAGEMENT TOOLS: Connect to Quickbooks, access SpendManager℠, receive a Year-End Summary, and more.*
  • *Terms apply

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  If you’re worried about running up high balances on your card, you can keep yourself in check with the American Express® Business Gold Card. That’s because it’s a charge card, meaning you must pay off your balance each month unless you opt to use the Pay Over Time feature. Luckily, it’s also a strong rewards card, which can balance the steep annual fee (see Rates & Fees ).

  • The perks

    • Annual fee: $295.

      Be sure to weigh the benefits versus this annual fee.

    • Welcome offer.

      Enjoy a welcome offer of 35,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $5,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.

    • Rewards: Earn elevated rewards in categories of your choice.

      Earn 4x points in two of six categories on up to $150,000 in combined purchases annually, then 1x points after that.

      Categories include eligible airfare, US advertising purchases, US gas, US restaurants, US shipping and eligible US computing purchases. Earn 1x points on all other purchases.

  • What to watch out for

    • Annual fee.

      You’ll pay a $295 annual fee — double the price of many annual-fee business cards.

  Best for flat cash back: Spark® Cash from Capital One®

  

  Business Advantage Travel Rewards World Mastercard® credit card

  Earn more travel rewards for your business purchases

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  If your expenses spread through many categories, like office supplies, travel and shipping costs, a flat-rate rewards card like the Spark® Cash from Capital One® might help. It offers unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases.

  If you don’t want to pay an annual fee, try the Spark® Cash Select from Capital One®. And if you want flat travel rewards, try the Spark® Miles from Capital One® or Spark® Miles Select from Capital One®.
  

  • The perks

    • Annual fee: $0 for the first year, then $95.

      After the first year, the annual fee is $95.

    • Signup bonus: $500 cash bonus.

      Earn it after you spend $4,500 on purchases within the first 3 months of card membership.

    • Rewards: 2% cash back on all purchases.

      Earn unlimited rewards with no minimum to redeem.

  • What to watch out for

    • Annual fee.

      Starting the second year, you’ll pay a $95 annual fee.

    • Penalty APR.

      If you make a late payment, Capital One may apply a high 31.65% variable penalty APR to all of your balances.

  How we selected our top cards

  We measured a few different factors when comparing available credit cards for startup businesses, including credit score requirements, introductory APRs, reward programs, points or cash back earned per dollar, reward earning categories signup bonuses and other added perks particularly beneficial to startups. The cards we highlighted demonstrated exemplary performance in one or more of these categories.

  What’s changed in 2019

  Our list stood unchanged this year, with each card maintaining strong performance and remaining one of the top picks in their respective categories. While the The Blue Business‎℠ Plus Credit Card from American Express no longer has the longest intro APR available, it still remains a terrific choice and maintained its position on our list.

  How to compare business credit cards for startups

  • Annual fee. When cash is tight, you might not want the expense of an annual fee. There are solid no-annual-fee business cards, though you’ll earn more powerful rewards with cards you have to pay for.
  • Signup bonus. If you anticipate heavy purchases in the next few months, you could breeze past the spending requirement for a card’s signup bonus. Business credit cards often have more impressive bonuses than personal cards.
  • Intro APR. This could be the answer if you’ll rack up debt soon but need several months to pay it off. Intro APRs for business cards tend to top off at around 15 months.
  • Rewards. A card with strong rewards can pay for itself. If your card has tiered rewards, check that your startup has significant expenses in the right categories. If your expenses are spread evenly throughout many categories, you might get more out of a flat-rewards card.

  Bottom line

  Your startup faces unique challenges, which some cards can address more effectively than others. Compare options that give your rewards, balance transfers and an annual fee you can afford.

  If you’d like to compare more products, visit our guide on business credit cards.

  Frequently asked questions

  • Am I personally responsible for debt charged to a business credit card?

    Most providers will ask you to personally guarantee the debt you accrue on your business card. For that reason, it’s a good idea to only spend as much as you can personally pay off.

  • How does a charge card differ from a credit card?

    With a charge card, you must pay off your balance each month. That differs from a credit card, which allows you to can carry a balance from month to month.

  • Will I know in advance what my APR will be for my business card?

    As with personal cards, you won’t know your APR until you receive your card. The better your personal credit — and your business credit, if you have it — the more likely you are to receive an attractive APR.

  Disclaimer

  _{Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer.}

  Rates and fees

  • See rates and fees for American Express® Business Gold Card
  • See rates and fees for The Blue Business‎℠ Plus Credit Card from American Express